Power supply

Abstract

A rechargeable power supply including voltage protection means through voltage dependent disconnecting means. A rechargeable power supply comprises at least one rechargeable cell connectable to a power source, a Zener diode connected to the at least one cell, and a bipolar transistor or a FET for selectively disconnecting the Zener diode from the cell in order to reduce any discharge of the cell through the voltage protection means. The Zener diode and the transistor are connected together in series and jointly connected across the cell in parallel.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A rechargeable power supply comprising:
 at least one rechargeable cell connectable to a power source having a power rail; 
 voltage protection means connected across the at least one rechargeable cell in a reverse biased direction, the voltage protection means allowing leakage current to flow through the voltage protection means in a reverse direction; and 
 voltage dependent disconnecting means operable to disconnect said voltage protection means from said at least one rechargeable cell when voltage on the power rail is switched off to reduce discharge of said at least one rechargeable cell by the leakage current through said voltage protection means. 
 
     
     
       2. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said voltage protection means is a Zener diode. 
     
     
       3. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said voltage dependent disconnecting means is a FET. 
     
     
       4. A rechargeable power supply comprising;
 at least one rechargeable cell connectable to a power source having a power rail; 
 voltage protection means connected to the at least one rechargeable cell; and 
 voltage dependent disconnecting means operable to disconnect said voltage protection means from said at least one rechargeable cell when voltage on the power rail is switched off to reduce any discharge of said at least one rechargeable cell through said voltage protection means, 
 wherein said voltage protection means and said voltage dependent disconnecting means are connected together in series and jointly connected across said rechargeable cell in parallel. 
 
     
     
       5. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a gate electrode of the PET is connectable to said power source thereby to actuate said voltage dependent disconnecting means. 
     
     
       6. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one diode connected in parallel with said at least one rechargeable cell. 
     
     
       7. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 additional rechargeable cells connected in series to the at least one rechargeable cell; 
 additional voltage protection means connected across each of the additional rechargeable cells in a reverse biased direction,the additional voltage protection means allowing additional leakage current to flow through the additional voltage protection means in a reverse direction; and 
 additional voltage dependent disconnecting means operable to disconnect said additional voltage protection means from said additional rechargeable cells when voltage on the power rail is switched off such that discharge of said additional rechargeable cells by the additional leakage current through said additional voltage protection means is reduced, 
 wherein each additional voltage protection means is coupled in series to one of the additional voltage dependent disconnecting means forming a first series connection and the first series connection is connected in parallel across one of the additional rechargeable cells. 
 
     
     
       8. A method of protecting a rechargeable cell in a power supply, the power supply having a power rail, the method comprising:
 during recharging of said rechargeable cell, selectively connecting voltage protection means to said rechargeable cell for limiting a recharging voltage applied to said rechargeable cell; and 
 after recharging of said rechargeable cell, selectively disconnecting said voltage protection means from said rechargeable cell when voltage on the power rail is switched off to reduce discharging of said rechargeable cell through said voltage protection means. 
 
     
     
       9. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one diode connected in parallel with said voltage dependent disconnecting means. 
     
     
       10. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising;
 one or more additional rechargeable cells connected in parallel to the at least one rechargeable cell, 
 wherein the at least one rechargeable cell, the one or more additional rechargeable cells, the voltage protection means and the voltage dependent disconnecting means together form a first battery unit. 
 
     
     
       11. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising additional battery units coupled in series to the first battery unit. 
     
     
       12. The rechargeable power supply as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 additional rechargeable cells connected in series to the at least one rechargeable cell; 
 additional voltage protection means coupled to a series connection of two or more of the at least one rechargeable cell and the additional rechargeable cells; and 
 additional voltage dependent disconnecting means, each additional voltage dependent disconnecting means coupled in series with one of the additional voltage protection means to form a protection unit, 
 wherein each voltage protection unit is coupled in parallel across two or more of the at least one rechargeable cell and the additional rechargeable cells. 
 
     
     
       13. The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein during recharging of said rechargeable cell, selectively connecting the voltage protection means to said rechargeable cell reduces or eliminates overcharging of said rechargeable cell. 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein selectively disconnecting said voltage protection means from said rechargeable cell prevents discharging of said rechargeable cell through said voltage protection means. 
     
     
       15. A rechargeable power supply comprising:
 at least one rechargeable cell connectable to an applied voltage for recharging the at least one rechargeable cell; 
 a voltage protection device coupled in parallel to the at least one at least one rechargeable cell, the voltage protection device capable of conducting current in a forward direction and being subject to breakdown at a predetermined voltage, wherein the breakdown allows the voltage protection device to conduct current in a reverse direction opposite the forward direction; and 
 a switch coupled to the at least one rechargeable cell and coupled in series to the voltage protection device, 
 wherein the switch is operable to disconnect the voltage protection device from the at least one rechargeable cell when the applied voltage is switched off to reduce discharge of the at least one rechargeable cell through the voltage protection device in the reverse direction during the breakdown.